Drain pipe flushing device

ABSTRACT

A drain pipe flushing device including an expansible chamber, a hose coupler attached to the inlet end of the chamber, and a valve at the outlet end of the chamber. Water supplied under pressure through the hose coupler causes the valve to close, then causes the chamber to expand into a sealing engagement with the pipe wall, and the valve then reopens in order to apply water under pressure to the clogged portion of the drain on the outlet side of the expansible chamber.

Umted States Patent 1 1 1111 3,802,449

Mulinex Apr. 9, 1974 [54] DRAIN PIPE FLUSHING DEVICE 2,753,876 7/1956Kurt 134/167 C v 1 3,228,611 1/1966 Russell 134/166 C X [76] lnvemork x-"3" g$8 3.595.255 7/1971 Mulinex 134/167 c ve., :1 W00 a1.

[22] Filed: Jan. 5, 1973 Primary Examiner-Robert L. Bleutge 21 A 1. No.:321 159 1 pp 57 ABSTRACT A drain i e flushin device includin an exansibl l. ..l34167C 4256 pp g g P e 5 Bosb /9/02 chamber, a hose couplerattached to the inlet end of [58] C 167 C the chamber, and a valve atthe outlet end of the 8 C 169 15/104 3 chamber. Water supplied underpressure through the hose coupler causes the valve to close, then causesthe [56] References Cited chamber to expand into a sealing engagementwith the pipe wall, and the valve then reopens in order to apply UNITEDSTATES PATENTS water under pressure to the clogged portion of the 2 134/drain on the outlet side of the expansible chamber. co ,1 2,490,42212/1949 Denison 4/256 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures DRAIN PIPE FLUSI'IINGDEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Included amoung the prior art devicesfor flushing a drain pipe is the hose attachment disclosed in my U. S.Pat. No. 3,595,255 issued July 27, 1971. Based upon my experience withthe previous device, and after exploring numerous avenues to theproblem, I have now discovered that it is possible to provide acomparable type of device which has an improved performance and yet alower production cost.

DRAWING SUMMARY FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the output end of the device inposition in a drain pipe;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the device, taken onthe line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 3 showing a different operating position ofthe device.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference is now made to the drawing andparticularly to FIG. I which is a perspective view of the drain pipeflushing device D. FIG. 3 shows the-device D in operative positioninside a horizontal drain pipe P, and having a water hose H (dottedlines) coupled to it. In

- FIG. '4 a different operative position of device D is shown, and avertical drain pipe P2 is also shown in dotted lines.

The device D of the present invention includes three principal componentparts: a hose coupler 20, a valve member 25, and an extensible member30.

The hose coupler 20, as best seen in FIG. 3, includes a generallycylindrical inner piece 21 made of rigid metal, a female connectionmember 22, which is rotatably attached to the outer end of the piece 21,and a retaining ring 23. The purpose of hose coupler is to couple thehose H to the open end of extensible member '30 for supplying waterunder pressure thereto.

The valve member 25 is in the form of a ball or sphere, made of a rigidand non-distortable material, and preferably glass since this is lessexpensive than metal. The function of valve'member 25 is to control, inconjunction with and in response to the turning on or turning off of thewater supply, the various valve actions accomplished by the extensiblemember 30.

Since the size and shape of the extensible member are a function of theapplied water pressure, it should and is clamped securely in place bythe retainingring 23 of the hose coupler.

Member 30 also has a closed extension end 50. An

output passageway 52 is formed in the inner end of the extension end 50and communicates with chamber 35. At the juncture of chamber and outputpassageway 52 there is a sloping internal circumferential shoulder whichforms a valve seat. Within the outer end portion of the closed extensionthere is a web structure 56, which will be explained subsequently. Theclosed extension end 50 provides a number of outlet ports for thepressurized water, as will later be described.

The ball valve member 25 normally fits rather tightly within thecircumferential. wall 36 of chamber 35, as best seen in FIG. 3. When thehose is connected and the water is turned on, the water pressure drivesthe ball toward the other end of chamber 35 until it seats upon thevalve seat 45. This position of the ball is shown in FIG. 4 by thedotted lines 25.-Output passageway 52 is then closed, and of course thevarious outlet ports associated with the output passageway are alsoclosed. The result is that chamber 35 expands to the position shown bydotted lines 35 in FIG. 3, in which it grips the inner wall surface 11of drain pipe P. The cylinder 35 makes a sealing engagement with thedrain pipe, and consequently any water discharged through the outletports will be effectively directed toward clogged material 12 in thedrain pipe P and will not flow back toward the open end of the pipe(through which the hose has been inserted).

The next step of the operation, although not fully shown in the drawing,is as follows. When further expansion of chamber 35 .is prevented by thedrain pipe P the continued application of water pressure causes thematerial of extensible member 30 to expand in the area of the valve seat45, distorting the valve seat until it falls away from the valve member25. Pressurized water then flows around the valve member 25, through andout passage 52, and through the associated outlet ports and into thedrain pipe P where it engages clogged material 12.

The web structure 56 will not be described. Four identical outlet ports57 are formed in the web structure (see FIG. 2). Each of the outletports 57 has a cross section corresponding to a quarter-circle which hasbeen narrowed on its radius sides. The remaining solid material of theweb structure 56, therefore, has the cross-sectional configuration of across. It will be seen that all of the ports 57 extend in a directionparallel to the longitudinal axis of the chamber 35.

After the initial closing of the valve has taken place, as previouslydescribed, and chamber 35 can expand no more, the valve seat 45 distortsoutward as previously mentioned. The valve seat does not distort earlierbecause its supporting wall 46 is significantly thicker than the. outerwall 36 of chamber 35. At the same time the outer end portion of theclosed extension end 50 expands only a very little, because the webstructure 56 having the cross-sectional configuration of a cross tiesthe opposite side walls of the extension end 50 together, therebysubstantially inhibiting any radial expansion. As the valve seat 45continues to open, valve member 25 moves on until it strikes the innerend of web structure 56, when it can move no further. Water is thencontinuously supplied at high pressure through the outlet ports 57.

There is a third valving operation which occurs after the flushing ofthe drain pipe has been completed. When the faucet has been turned offand the hose perhaps disconnected from the faucet, there may, in somesituations, be a tendency for device D to siphon dirty liquid materialout of the drain pipe P and into the hose H. The present device,however, prevents such siphoning action. Valve member 25 is driven backto a position at the other end of cylinder 35, as shown in FIG. 3. Itwill be noted that in the hose coupler the extreme inner end of theinner piece 21 is turned upward or outward at 21a. The circumferentialflange 21a cooperates with retaining ring 23 to firmly secure the openend 40 of extensible member 30 upon the inner piece 21 of the hosecoupler. This is a secure fastening arrangement which resists the waterpressure that builds up inside chamber 35. Furthermore, circumferentialflange 21a provides an alternate valve seat for the ball 25. Thus,flange 21a and ball together provide an anti-siphon valve.

FIG. 4 illustrates another type of operation which occurs when ahorizontal drain pipe P intersects with a vertical pipe P2. The outerend portion of extension 50 including the web structure 56 constitutes afeeler for the device D. When the feeler engages the outer wall 13 ofvertical pipe P2 it is not possible to insert hose H any further in thehorizontal pipe P. The outlet ports 57 are at least partially closed offby the wall 13, or their effectiveness is reduced. However, theextension end 50 also includes a pair of outlet ports 58 provided in oneside of the passageway 52. The ports 58 are perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of chamber 35 and hence are aligned with thelongitudinal axis of the vertical pipe P2. The action is the same asdescribed previously except that after valve seat 45 is distorted awayfrom its normal position to permit water to flow past the valve member25, the main thrust of the water is then downward through the ports 58in the direction shown by arrow 60. A dotted line 61 in FIG. 4 shows howthe upper wall of the extensible member will be bulged upward, topartially occupy the upwardly extending portion of pipe P2, but asimilar deformation does not occur on the lower wall because the wateris being exhausted there through the ports 58.

An economic advantage of the present invention is that the extensiblemember 30 may be integrally formed from a single piece of rubbermaterial. The normal (unstressed) configuration of member 30 is suchthat it can conveniently be formed in a single molding operation.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, what has beendescribed are preferred embodiments in which modifications and changesmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theaccompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A drain pipe flushing device usable in conjunction with a water hosefor applying water under pressure to the point where a drain is clogged,comprising:

means providing an expansible chamber having inlet and outlet ends andbeing insertable into the drain pipe;

a valve at said chamber outlet end including a distortable valve seatdefining an output passageway and a non-distortable valve member adaptedto engage said valve seat for closing said passageway;

and means for coupling a water hose to said chamber inlet end so as tosupply pressurized water thereto in order to close said valve and expandsaid chamber-providing means into sealing engagement with the drain pipewall;

said valve seat being then responsive to the static water pressure todeform and permit the pressurized water to flow around said valve memberand out said passageway.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said valve member is also cooperablewith said hose coupling means to provide an anti-siphon valve.

3. The device of claim 1 which further includes a feeler attached to theoutlet end of said chamber and having at least one outlet portcommunicating with said passageway.

4. The device of claim 3 which includes at least one outlet portextending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said chamber, and atleast one additional outlet port extending perpendicular to said axis.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein said chamber, valve seat, and feelerare provided by a single member which is integrally formed of a rubbermaterial.

6. A device insertable into one end of a clogged drain pipe to aid inthe flushing thereof, comprising:

an elongated generally tubular member made of stretchable material andforming an elongated cylindrical chamber in its central portion, saidmember also having an open extension at one end of said chamber and aclosed extension at the other end of said chamber;

a rigid ball disposed within said chamber in a normally tight engagementwith the chamber wall;

a hose coupler attached to said open extension end of said tubularmember and having a passageway therein which is too small to permit theescape of said ball;

said member having a circumferential valve seat formed therein at thejuncture of said chamber with said closed extension end whereby the flowof pressurized water through said hose coupler will force said ballalong said chamber into engagement with said valve seat, the centralportion of said tubular member then expanding so as to frictionally gripthe inner wall surface of the drain pipe;

said closed extension end of said tubular member having at least oneport therein for the escape of water into the drain pipe; and

the portion of said tubular member forming said valve seat being alsoextensible in response to applied water pressure, after said centralportion thereof has expanded and gripped the drain pipe, for permittingpressurized water to flow around said ball and escape through said port.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said tubular member is integrallyformed from a rubber material.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein said closed extension end of saidtubular member is provided with a thicker wall than said central portionthereof, making it less stretchable than said central portion, and inwhich the outer portion of said closed extension end also contains a webstructure within which a plurality of escape ports are formed, said webstructure serving to make said outer portion of said closed extensionend relatively less stretchable than the inner portion of said closedextension end adjacent said valve seat.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein the inner end of said hose couplerforms an alternate valve seat for said ball, whereby when the waterpressure is turned off said ball and said alternate valve seat togetherprovide an anti-

1. A drain pipe flushing device usable in conjunction with a water hosefor applying water under pressure to the point where a drain is clogged,comprising: means providing an expansible chamber having inlet andoutlet ends and being insertable into the drain pipe; a valve at saidchamber outlet end including a distortable valve seat defining an outputpassageway and a non-distortable valve member adapted to engage saidvalve seat for closing said passageway; and means for coupling a waterhose to said chamber inlet end so as to supply pressurized water theretoin order to close said valve and expand said chamber-providing meansinto sealing engagement with the drain pipe wall; said valve seat beingthen responsive to the static water pressure to deform and permit thepressurized water to flow around said valve member and out saidpassageway.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said valve member is alsocooperable with said hose coupling means to provide an anti-siphonvalve.
 3. The device of claim 1 which further includes a feeler attachedto the outlet end of said chamber and having at least one outlet portcommunicating with said passageway.
 4. The device of claim 3 whichincludes at least one outlet port extending parallel to the longitudinalaxis of said chamber, and at least one additional outlet port extendingperpendicular to said axis.
 5. The device of claim 3 wherein saidchamber, valve seat, and feeler are provided by a single member which isintegrally formed of a rubber material.
 6. A device insertable into oneend of a clogged drain pipe to aid in the flushing thereof, comprising:an elongated generally tubular member made of stretchable material andforming an elongated cylindrical chamber in its central portion, saidmember also having aN open extension at one end of said chamber and aclosed extension at the other end of said chamber; a rigid ball disposedwithin said chamber in a normally tight engagement with the chamberwall; a hose coupler attached to said open extension end of said tubularmember and having a passageway therein which is too small to permit theescape of said ball; said member having a circumferential valve seatformed therein at the juncture of said chamber with said closedextension end whereby the flow of pressurized water through said hosecoupler will force said ball along said chamber into engagement withsaid valve seat, the central portion of said tubular member thenexpanding so as to frictionally grip the inner wall surface of the drainpipe; said closed extension end of said tubular member having at leastone port therein for the escape of water into the drain pipe; and theportion of said tubular member forming said valve seat being alsoextensible in response to applied water pressure, after said centralportion thereof has expanded and gripped the drain pipe, for permittingpressurized water to flow around said ball and escape through said port.7. The device of claim 6 wherein said tubular member is integrallyformed from a rubber material.
 8. The device of claim 6 wherein saidclosed extension end of said tubular member is provided with a thickerwall than said central portion thereof, making it less stretchable thansaid central portion, and in which the outer portion of said closedextension end also contains a web structure within which a plurality ofescape ports are formed, said web structure serving to make said outerportion of said closed extension end relatively less stretchable thanthe inner portion of said closed extension end adjacent said valve seat.9. The device of claim 6 wherein the inner end of said hose couplerforms an alternate valve seat for said ball, whereby when the waterpressure is turned off said ball and said alternate valve seat togetherprovide an anti-siphon valve action.